Combination buckle and tie tensioning device



Jan. 28,1969 J. E. HATFIELD COMBINATION BUCKLE AND TIE TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1967- Sheet I I I I I! I w Q mvmon John E Half/Bid Jan. 28, 1969 J. E. HATFIELD 3,423,304

' COMBINATION BUCKLE AND TIE TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Au'g. 10, 1967 Sheet 2 Of 2 INVENTOR C BY 2 ATTORNEY) United States Patent 3,423,804 COMBINATION BUCKLE AND TIE TENSIONING DEVICE John Edward Hatfield, Stotfold, England, assignor to Irvin Industries Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 659,659 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 15, 1966,

41,350/ 66 U.S. Cl. 24-273 4 Claims Int. Cl. B65d 63/16 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a combination buckle and tensioning device for tie straps.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a combined buckle and a strap tensioner for bundle wrapping ties which is relatively simple in construction and which can be quickly and easily applied to a bundle under such conditions that the strap can be tensioned for securement purposes around the bundle.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a combination buckle and strap tensioning device which comprises a one piece rigid buckle body, with which is associated a flexible tie strap or webbing which can be placed around a bundle so that the strap can be tensioned just prior to the complete tieing operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the buckle body having associated therewith a strap or webbing, being extended and shown as broken in length.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the buckle body and strap.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the buckle member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the buckle body and the strap is initially placed around a bundle prior to tensioning of the strap upon the bundle.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the tie or strap is brought under tension around the bundle.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the complete assemblage of the buckle and tie strap in secured relation upon a bundle, with the strap under tension and fixed in secured position against liability of opening.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustra tion is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the combination buckle and strap tensioning device. It includes metal, plastic or other rigid member B and a flexible strap or webbing C.

The buckle member B is preferably of forged metal in one integral piece but may be made of any other rigid material, the portions of which cannot be easily bent. It includes elongated side bar portions 10 and 11, each of which includes a top plate flange 12 and a bottom right angle flange 13; the flanges 12 and 13 at their juncture being convexly round as shown at 14 in FIGURE 4. The side bars 10 and 11 at one end there of are connected by bar extensions 15 lying in the same plane as the flange portions 12 of the side bars 10 and 11. They project toward each other and terminate to provide a longitudinal slot 17, as shown in FIGURE 1. At the 0pposite end the buckle B is provided with a rigid plate portion 20 in the same plane as the flanges 12 and bar extensions 15. This plate portion 20 is provided with an elongated outermost elongated cross slot 22. An adjacent inner cross slot 23 is provided which is of the same size as slot 22 and parallels it. The buckle B has an opening 24 which terminates at 24 short of the slot 23. The plate portion 20 as thus formed provides parallel cross bars 26, 27, and 28. The opening 24 has concaved edges 30 at the ends thereof adjacent the cross bar extensions 15 and cross bar 28 to define an elongated opening 24 which extends longitudinally of the main axis of the buckle B.

The strap or webbing C is flexible and of a width greater than the width of the slot 17 and less in width than the width of the slots 22 and 23 and the opening 24. This strap or webbing C, as is shown in FIGURE 3 can be laterally slipped through the lengthwise slot 17 by doubling upon itself. It moves freely lengthwise through the opening 24. It is secured to the buckle B by looping an end portion 35 upon the strap body, and it may be permanently secured by stitching 36 to provide a looped end 35 extended around bar 28. It is threaded through the slot 23 as is shown in FIGURES 1 and 3.

In FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 is shown an application of the improved buckle and strap to a bundle E. As shown in FIGURE 5 the buckle B is initially inverted with its channel uppermost and the strap C is extended from the innermost bar 28 under the bar portions 15 and around the bundle E. The free end of the strap C is then extended through the slot 23 around bar 27 and then through the slot 22. The extreme free end 40 is then under the bar 26 as is shown in FIGURE 5. In this position the strap C may be pulled at end 40 to the desired tightness around the bundle. In order to tension the same upon the buckle the operator with his hand grasps the free end of the buckle B and pivots the bar 26 upon the end 40 of the strap C. The operator moves the buckle through an arc of The buckle thus acts as a lever to tighten the strap as shown in FIGURE 6. The buckle B is then brought to the normal position shown in FIG- URE 7 with the channel downmost and facing the bundle E. The body of the encircling strap and the free end 40 are then manually forced through the lengthwise slot 17 by means of lateral doubling or deflection of the strap until they overlie the outside of the bars 15 as shown in FIGURE 7. The tensioned strap cannot now accidentally slip through the narrow slot 17 so that securement is insured against any loosening of the strap or opening of it upon the buckle E.

I claim:

1. In a tie buckle and strap tensioning device the combination of a one piece rigid frame comprising a pair of relatively spaced elognated side bars of rectangular cross section lying in the same plane, inwardly extending transverse cross portions connected to said side bars at similar ends thereof, one to each side bar and of the same thickness as said side bars and lying in the same plane therewith and terminating short of each other to define a narrow slot which is located centrally between the side bars, said side bars at the opposite ends thereof having a cross plate portion of the same thickness and lying in the same plane as the side bars, said plate having a plurality of transverse slots therethrough terminating at the side bars and providing an outermost, intermediate and inner cross bar portions, said side bars being spaced to define an elongated opening therebetween which terminates at the cross plate portion, said elongated opening being appreciably wider than and extending to and communicating with the narrow slot between the pair of cross portions.

2. The buckle as defined in claim 1 in which the side bars at their extereme outer margins are provided with right angled flanges to define a channel for receiving a flexible strap.

3. In a buckle and tie tensioning device the combination of a one piece elongated buckle body of rigid material in which the parts are integral having an elongated opening therethrough and having at one end thereof a pair of inwarding projecting cross extensions located in the same plane and spaced short of each other to provide a narrow slot extending longitudinally of the buckle body, said buckle body at its opposite end having a plurality of relatively spaced cross bars located in the same plane comprising an outer, intermediate and inner cross bars, said outer, intermediate and inner cross bars being spaced from each other to define a plurality of cross slots, a tie strap looped and permanent-1y secured around one of said cross bars, said tie strap being of a width less than said opening and slots to enable the same to move lengthwise freely through the cross slots and the elongated opening.

4. The buckle and tie strap as defined in claim 3 which may be applied to a bundle by positioning the body of the buckle in inverted position so that the strap from its looped end extends through the elongated opening of the buckle body and lies at the underside of spaced cross bar extensions and is then wrapped around the bundle with the free strap end threaded through the cross slot between the intermediate and inner cross bars and then threaded through the cross slot between the outer and intermediate cross bars to provide a free end which may be pulled to initially tighten the strap around the bundle, said body portion of the buckle being then positioned whereby an operator may grasp the buckle body at its end having the cross extensions and swing it through an arc of 180 by pivoting it at the outer cross bar upon the free end of the strap and then laterally bending and slipping the strap free end and the main body of the strap through the narrow slot so that they will lie at the outer side of the cross extensions whereby the strap will be secured and tensioned around the bundle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,017 11/1887 Frost 24273 533,547 2/1895 Moore 24273 2,663,923 12/ 1953 Mattingly 24273 FOREIGN PATENTS 206,042 7/1966 Sweden.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

